Rapunzel
by winternym
Summary: Bella Swan is an only child, with two adoring parents and a talent for singing. On her seventeenth birthday, a mysterious man named Edward Cullen steals her away and locks her in a hidden tower far in the woods. Based off of Rapunzel. Rated T just in case
1. Kidnapped

**Author's Note: This story is based off Rapunzel. There are a few other fairytales mixed in, but mainly Rapunzel. There are some major resemblances, but this is not Rapunzel, despite the title. And yes, there are vampires.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not dead, therefore I didn't write Rapunzel.**

I sat down beside my mother, rubbing my eyes from exhaustion. Usually I would be dressed by now, but it was my 17th birthday. I deserved a little comfort time.

"Hello, mama" I said brightly. My mother was knitting quietly. She didn't respond, which annoyed me to no end. I attempted to speak a little louder. "Hello, mama." This time she looked up, and attempted a smile. I was beginning to get nervous. Why would my own mother be acting like this on my 17th birthday?

"Good morning, Bella," she said sweetly. "I trust you slept well?" I nodded, playing with my ponytail. I'd always had long, long hair. In fact, I'd never cut it in my life. Loose, it reached my ankles.

"Why don't you get dressed?" She suggested. I smiled at her, getting up from the chair.

"Of course, Mama," I replied, walking to my small bedroom. I chose my prettiest dress. It was dark blue, with gold trimming. In truth, it was my only nice gown. My mama had been sewing it for ages, gathering as much material as possible. Alone, it would have cost a fortune. Luckily, our small town was generous, and we often shared.

I looked at my reflection in a puddle outside. My long, mahogany hair was a mess. I pulled a brush through it, and tied it back, letting it fall to the ground. I smiled at myself, looking through all different angles when I heard a sound similar to the slamming of a door. Shaken, I rushed out of my room. And was stunned at the spectacle ahead.

My father grabbed me, pulling me behind him. I obeyed, looking up at his face. It was deathly pale, as though he'd seen a ghost. My mother was hugging me from behind, her face wet with tears. I looked up at the intruder.

He was the most beautiful person I'd ever seen.

He was tall, a good head taller than I. His hair was a brownish-red color, maybe bronze. Tainted gold, I decided. His skin was pale, and his features were perfectly symmetrical, almost godly. His eyes, however, frightened me the most. They were pitch black, like the deathly feeling his presence evoked on my family. I shuddered involuntarily.

His petrifying gaze traveled to meet my eyes. "So this is the girl," he said quietly, in a musical voice. "Isabella, am I right? Should I call you that? Or do you prefer Bella?" His expression was emotionless, but his voice sounded genuinely curious.

"Bella," I whispered, my eyes never wandering from his. "Bella, please." He nodded, a slight smile on his beautiful face.

"A beautiful name, if I say so myself." He nodded, as to punctuate his statement. "After all, I named you that." I blinked, my eyes widening as they opened. My eyebrows shot up. Meanwhile, his eyes were seemingly searching my face, or beyond. It was almost like he was trying to look into my head.

I looked at my mother for support. I knew she could hear my silent question; "_Is he telling the truth?"_ She sniffled, and nodded her head quickly. I looked down.

It took less then a second for him to cross the room to stand directly in front of me. He placed his hand under my chin. I shivered; he was ice cold. He noticed my discomfort, and for a second seemed to be pondering whether or not he should remove his hand. He kept hold of my chin, and tilted it upward until I had no choice but to look into his terrifying eyes.

"No need to hide your pretty face, Bella," he chided gently, his tone like velvet. "I won't bite." His face was slightly amused, like he was laughing at his words.

"I'm not too sure about that," I replied, my voice less shaky. I jutted out my chin, trying to look defiant. He just laughed, and released my chin.

"You're a very interesting person, Bella, did you know? Come, now," he said, taking my arm. Realization fluttered through me. I attempted to break free of his grip, but his stone arm didn't budge.

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly, fear in my voice. He shook his head. "You're coming with me, Bella, and don't try to fight. It won't do you any good." Despite his words, I struggled. That's when my father came back to life.

"Bella, no!" He yelled, running toward me. The young man looked at him uninterestedly. Suddenly, he gripped my father's throat and lifted him off the ground, even though he wasn't as tall as my father.

"Right, Bella," he said sarcastically, "Will you willingly go now, on your dear father's life?" He looked at me, and I heard my father gasp for air. Silent tears poured down my cheeks. "You monster," I whispered, fury flowing through my veins.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said cheerfully, setting down my father. He extended a hand, and I hesitantly took it. I looked behind me. "I love you," I mouthed to my parents. My mother wiped a tear off her cheek and ran over. Thankfully, I was able to kiss my mother and father goodbye.

"We'll see you again, Bella," my mother whispered. I nodded, unsure of her statement. I so wanted to believe her, but I doubted it possible. I followed him out the front door, into the shining sun. I remember a large, elaborate carriage, and being pushed into the carriage, and being joined in the carriage.

"By the way," he said casually. "My name is Edward."


	2. Imprisoned

**Disclaimer: I own a little bit of the plot. That is all. Good day.**

Eventually I fell asleep. When I woke up, we were in a strange village. It was sunset, and we stood in the shade. Edward helped me out of the carriage, and it rose off into the light. I looked around.

"Where are we?" I asked, straightening out my dress. Edward gestured to the village. "Aughsten." I looked around curiously. According to my father's map, Aughsten was on the other side of the kingdom. I looked up at Edward, trying to hide the fear I was feeling. "You live here?" I asked. He laughed, and shook his head.

"Oh, no," he said, highly amused. "We've got a while of travel ahead." My stomach flipped over, and I realized that I hadn't eaten. He looked at me in concern. "When did you last eat?" He asked.

"Last night." Edward looked at me worriedly, and studied the sun. "I suppose we can spare some time for you to eat."

"Aren't you hungry?" I asked curiously. He laughed. "Not at all." He took my hand, and led me to a small bakery.

We sat in silence, him watching me eat. I swallowed uncomfortably just as a young man passed by. Edward slipped him a few gold coins. I looked at Edward nervously. He seemed to be quite rich, judging by the size of his moneybag.

"Ready to go?" He asked, standing up. I glared up at him.

"I'm ready to leave the bakery," I corrected, biting my tongue. Edward looked like he was about to say something, but changed his mind, and then changed it again as we left the building.

"I'm not that bad, you know," he said impatiently. I remained silent. I definitely had the right to hate him, and he knew it. He sighed in defeat, leading me to a beautiful stallion. I'd always loved horses, but know, love was the last thing on my mind. Edward picked me up and set me down on the horse, and then swiftly got up behind me. Before I knew it, we were going through the woods at an impossible speed. I hid my face in the horse's mane.

"What's wrong?" he asked. I shook my head, my eyes closed. "Trees… motion sickness…" I rambled, trying to block the sound of the wind in my ears. He laughed, and pulled me back to him. "You'll fall off," he told me. I struggled to get out of his grasp, but somehow, Edward's strength was too much for me. Finally I relaxed, but didn't let myself get comfortable in his stone hold.

Finally, we reached a stop. I slowly looked up at where we were. Edward was already on the ground, and he effortlessly picked me up and set me on the ground. I glanced behind me, in a stupid attempt to know the way back. He chuckled, and I looked at my captor in defeat. He smiled crookedly, and gestured toward the tall, looming building. I instinctively cringed away, and ended up backing into Edward.

"Come, now," he said, as though talking to a child. I resisted, and he picked me up. My eyes shot open. "Let go of me!" I nearly shrieked. He laughed, carrying me toward the large prison. I beat against his chest, but it did no good. He opened the door and set me on my feet, blocking the doorway. I helplessly let my eyes venture around the castle.

I was standing in a large hallway covered in a rich red carpet. Ahead of me was a wide staircase. Edward closed the door, and I jumped as I heard the door lock. He chuckled again, and walked up to join me. "See, nothing scary," he laughed.

"I disagree," I muttered under my breath. Edward somehow heard me, and laughed again. "Did I tell you that your dress looks beautiful on you?" He asked. I blushed, and he ran his hands through my ponytail, bringing it up to rest on my shoulder. "Ladies first," he continued, gesturing toward the staircase. I shook my head, and he sighed. "Don't make me carry you," he warned. I shuddered and allowed him to lead me up the stairs.

The path was a long one, with confusing turns. Most of the manor was decorated the same way, so I knew I would never find my way around. Eventually, we reached a door on the highest floor. Edward opened it and I walked through the hall with him. It was dark. Horribly dark. I was stiff the entire time, clinging to Edward for the simple fact that he knew his way around.

I was terrified when we reached yet another staircase, a narrow one this time. I could barely see my feet. I stood there, blinded by darkness, reaching out for something to hold. I hit something hard and cold. I shrieked, until I felt the hard surface take my hand. "It's me," he whispered impatiently. I held on tight, walking for what seemed like forever. I didn't know what time of day it was, and I didn't care, either. I only knew of my own exhaustion.

When we reached an end to the stairs, Edward opened a large, stone door that terrified me to no end. A stone door could only belong to a dungeon. I walked through the opening, looking around at where I was. I soon figured that out.

I was at the top of a tower.

The room was circular, and very, very large. I could see a door on the other side, but it was small couldn't belong to more than a closet or lavatory. There was also an opening to my right, but it probably led to another room of the tower. To my left was a window. I met Edward's gaze.

"I see," I said stiffly. He sighed. "Come now, Bella, it really isn't that bad." It truly was much nicer than my house, but I would have gladly stayed there this morning. Or was it yesterday? I couldn't tell. He led me to the other room. It was a bedroom, obviously. I widened my eyes, looking at the king-sized bed, the dresser, the mirror, and the closet. Let alone another opening. This room alone was bigger than my house.

"And look!" He pulled me back to the former room, and I realized a second too late that he intended to bring me to the window. I pulled out of his grasp. "Do you intend to make me sick?" I asked fiercely. He looked at me with confusion clear on his face. "I will surely be ill if I look out the window."

"Why?" He asked, clearly not expecting this reaction from me. I bit my lip. "It's so high," I told him. "Heights scare me." He laughed again, to my irritation.

"Surely you just?" He said. I shook my head and shuddered. "I fainted at the top of my roof," I admitted. Shock flitted across his face. "That won't do," he muttered, pacing the room.

"Why not?" I asked hopefully. Did he intend for me to keep watch, and would send me home at this news? But no, I was wrong. He shook his head.

"Nothing at all." He told me. I sighed, and changed the subject.

"Well, you owe me an explanation," I said, relaxing. He glared at me.

"I owe you nothing." What? How could he say such things?

"We both know that you owe me, Edward," I told him, and he clenched his jaw in defeat. "Fine," he said stiffly. I sat on a couch, waiting.

**Author's Note: It ends there! Sorry for the cliffy, but my sister is making me get off. I'm writing the next chapter already, so don't fret. I originally intended for a longer chapter, but I hope you don't mind. Please review, that's why there's a periwinkle button that says 'Go' down there!**


	3. Revealed

Author's Note: This chapter isn't very Rapunzel, but it's important for the storyline

**Author's Note: This chapter isn't very Rapunzel, but it's important for the storyline.**

**Disclaimer: I'm writing fanfiction, which would be actual fiction if I were Stephanie Meyer. Get it?**

"Alright," Edward sighed. "Ask away." I thought about my first question, resting my chin in my hand. "What did you mean, you named me?" Edward brushed hair out of his face. "Next."

"Why? That's the easiest one!" I exclaimed. But he shook his head. I continued.

"Why did my mother-"Fear and grief overcame me as I realized that this… monster, that was the only word- had threatened my mother before my birth, terrified her for years, and stolen me on the most important day of my life. "You vile, horrible monster!" I shouted, sobs racking my small form. He didn't need me to explain what I was thinking. I sank on the floor. "Why?" I finally whispered. "Why? Do you hate me that much already?"

Edward had stayed quiet during my breakdown. But he grasped my chin and pulled me toward him with so much force it hurt. "Why do you say that?" He whispered in my ear with so much ferocity that I instinctively flinched.

"Why?" I whispered again. "Why, Edward? Why?" He relaxed his grip a little, not completely letting go. "To protect you."

"From what?"

"Sadistic creatures. Like… werewolves," he said, struggling to pronounce the word, "and… vampires."

"Like you?" I asked unexpectedly. The next bit happened in about a second.

Edward was dragging me toward the window. Not breathing, his iron grip desperately painful. I screamed in pain, but he took no notice. I guarded my face as I awaited the inevitable.

But it never came. I opened my eyes.

Edward was glaring at my, still furious, but slightly calmer. "I'm sorry," I whispered. And truly, I was. His stance didn't relax. "I should be apologizing. You're just a very observant human." I realized, with a jolt, that I'd been right. He was indeed a vampire.

"Undo your hair," he commanded. I obeyed shakily, untying my beautiful ribbon. He snatched it away, and I looked at him fearfully. "I'll give it back," he assured me. "Now pile your hair out the window. I tugged at my hair and gasped. It was a million times longer than it had been this morning. I looked up at Edward. "I gave the elixir to you while you slept in the carriage. Did you not notice the extra weight?" I blushed, hoping that he thought I was blushing out of embarrassment for my idiocy, not due to the fact that his presence stopped the flow of air in my lungs. I yanked on my heavy hair, hair that might even me stronger than I. Sighing, Edward helped, pulling my hair through the window.

I couldn't even be sick. My hair almost reached the ground. And I was at least a mile higher up than the forest's tallest trees. In that moment, I realized that there was no chance of escape. My hair was much to heavy for me to carry, let alone to run with. Edward saw realization hit my face and smiled with satisfaction. "So don't try anything funny," he laughed. "I'm going to leave now," he continued. "Wait!" I yelled, stumbling. "I need to know something."

"Yes?" he asked. I took a deep breath.

"Do I get to see my family again?" I whispered. Edward sighed regretfully.

"I'm afraid that I can't promise that." I felt tears well up in my eyes, and Edward stepped forward, unsure of what to say.

"Perhaps you could correspond with them," he suggested hopefully. I looked at him hopefully.

"I could drop off the letters when I'm in town, and could bring their letters back from the post office. I attempted to smile, and found that I managed. "Thank you," I said warmly. He smiled pleasantly. "Everything you need to write is in that desk. But please get some sleep. It's very late, or should I say, very early?" I gasped again. He laughed kindly. "When you need me, simply call my name. No need to be too loud, I'll hear you." He smiled crookedly, and left the room. I was left to stand there in awe.

I finally got myself to sit down, my long hair draped behind me like a curtain. I took out the writing utensils, and began to write to my parents.

_Dear Mother and Father,_

_I know that you are likely worried and stressed, but you need not worry. I'm in absolutely no immediate danger. Do not send anyone to search for me, it is beyond impossible. And if Edward found them, their lives might be in trouble, which would not allow me to live with myself._

_I miss you both dearly, which is why I'm writing. For reasons I am forbidden to express, I am incapable of reuniting with you for a very long time. Edward, however, suggested that I may correspond with you through letters. To reply, please send a letter to Aughsten, where Edward will pick it up and deliver it to me._

_Don't try to have me released. It will cost you dearly._

_You're daughter,_

_Bella Swan_

I looked at the letter to approve. I took out an envelope, wrote down my home address, and spoke quietly, uncertainly. "Edward." Sure enough, he was at my side immediately. "Yes?" he asked gently. I handed him the letter. He studied it. "Should I drop this off?" I nodded thoughtfully.

"Edward," I began, "why-?" I lifted my long, heavy hair, getting up to sit on my- I couldn't grasp the concept that it was mine- couch. He sat down next to me. "Don't interrupt what I say. It's not what you think." I nodded uncertainly. He sighed.

"It means that you belong to me." I flinched. He looked at me in alatm. "No, no! Wait for me to finish. The fact that you have a… prison… of hair that carries my scent means that you aren't a human a vampire should fool around with. Any one of us would think twice before attacking you." He paused. "The stronger my smell is, the stronger it means I am, and the less likely it is that a vampire will take a risk. Tell me, now; through your human nose, does it smell any different to you?" I smelled it, and smiled. "Yes, Edward. It's a very strong scent, even to my weak, human nose."

Edward smiled at me, and my heart sped up.


	4. Found

**Disclaimer: **_**Fan**_**fiction. Not **_**My**_**fiction.**

A few days passed, and Edward and I had talked every day. He asked me about my life: my family, my friends, my interest, and so on. I, in turn, asked him about vampires; there was much to learn. Edward was what was referred to as a vegetarian vampire, a vampire who feeds off animal blood rather than human blood. _"We don't want to be monsters, Bella"_, he had said. _"So when we realized that, as humans, we had eaten meat off of animals, we decided that we wouldn't be that bad if, immortalized, we did the same thing. Well, at least, as close as we can get to that," _he had added, laughing.

Edward didn't talk much about himself as an individual. He usually used the term 'we' when he spoke about his life; eventually, I began to wonder about his human life and his family. One day, I asked him.

"Edward," I began cautiously, hoping not to offend him. "When were you… changed?" Edward looked at me warily. "It's not my favourite thing to talk about," he admitted after a long silence.

"Please?" I asked quietly. I tried using my puppy eyes. Edward laughed.

"Have you heard of the great plague?" he asked. I nodded.

"In 1113, the plague hit London," he told me. "Of course, it had existed, but this was the first time it had truly taken over the city. My family was a wealthy one; my father was a banker, and a successful one at that. We had a pretty good life; I had just turned 17, and my parents began searching for a bride for me. Not that I wanted one," he added, scowling, "but there was no time to think of that; the plague had hit our street by then, and my father grew ill.

"My mother cared for him, but it was impossible. She, in turn grew ill. She had locked me in my room, attempting to hide me from the disease. It did no good; our family soon became infested by the illness. A doctor named Carlisle Cullen was tending to us; he did not seem to be affected by the disease. My father passed away within a few days; my mother was more of a fighter, but she, too, was… overcome by sickness." Edward seemed to struggle to speak of this, and I held his hand tightly, hoping that my human form of reassurance would have an affect on the immortal god beside me.

"But Carlisle was, in fact, like I. He was a very good doctor, almost immune to the blood. But he could not cure us from the plague. After my mother was gone, I was still there, but barely. He told me that her last wish was for him to change me; how she knew what he was is unknown. But Carlisle obeyed; thus, I was changed."

Edward rose abruptly, turning toward the door. "It is late," he said hurriedly. I should leave now." Before I could protest, he was out the door. I looked up at the sun; I couldn't see it behind the moon, and knew that I should retreat to my bed. I reluctantly changed out of my dress, and lay on my bed, knowing that sleep was a very small possibility.

I lay on my bed, my eyes tracing the stones on the walls. I sighed, infuriated; why had Edward stormed away so suddenly? I turned on to my stomach, and rested my face in my hands, thinking about my family.

I wondered how my mother was doing. The sight of the tears pouring down her face was imprinted in my mind, and I wanted to see her again, happy. Had she received my letter yet? What would she think? What about my father? Charlie was always so fun, so easygoing, stressed at the smallest thing. I didn't know what to expect. And Angela? How was she? I hoped that my parents had told her the truth, instead of the lies that they had surely spread to cover up the truth. Jessica and Lauren were no doubt enjoying my absence. But what should that matter to me? I had Edward, and he was like family. But he was more. I couldn't quite place my finger on it… and with that thought, I fell asleep.

--

"Psst!" Wind rustled the bushes, but I knew that a human voice was making the sound. "Psst, Bella!" This time, I knew it wasn't a dream. My eyes opened wide and I shot up from the bed. I shivered from the cold, and put on a sweater. I looked out the window, surprised at what was there. Or rather, who was there.

Jacob Black was standing on my windowsill. I admit I don't know him that well, but his father was my dad's best friend, so I had seen him at regular intervals throughout my childhood. I stood up quickly. "Jake?" I asked, my voice tinted with surprise.

"Bella!" he exclaimed, relieved. He jumped down into my room. "Finally! Now we can leave, and-" I interrupted. "Leave? What do you mean, Jake?" Although it would be natural to want to leave, the prospect of leaving tied my stomach in a tight not. Jake looked at me with confusion.

"Bella. We need to go back home." That thought scared me. As much as I missed my parents, I didn't want to leave Edward. Though I would have said it was out of fear of his wrath, I knew that it was more. Perhaps it was that I didn't want to leave him alone. Or maybe I would feel alone without him. I decided that stalling would be my best bet.

"How did you get up here, Jake?" I asked. Though I was using the question as an excuse, I was sincerely curious. He shrugged. "I climbed." My jaw fell, and I gaped at him. "But… how?" He laughed, and the sound was slightly reassuring. "Bells, your bloodsucker isn't the only mythical creature in existence." I continued to gape.

"How do I know? Well, I guess I'll tell you. I'm a werewolf," he said, grinning. I looked at him, surprised. "You are?" Jacob frowned; he probably wasn't expecting such a calm response. "Aren't you horrified?" he asked. I thought about this, and shook my head. "Not really," I decided. "Just very surprised, I guess." Now Jake stared at me. "Wow," he mouthed.

Jake grabbed my arm so tightly that it hurt. "We need to go," he said stiffly, pulling me toward the window. I tried to fight against him, but was unsuccessful. That was the moment that Edward chose to enter.

"Edward!" I cried. I thought about flinging my arms around him, but decided that Jacob would feel betrayed. Instead, I quickly retreated to his side. Edward's face was terribly angered. I shuddered, and went to touch his arm, but he pulled away. "Go away," he ordered. I obeyed him, not sure where to go or what to do. I walked backward until I was pressed against the stone wall, and I silently watched the two.

"Jealous, are you?" Jacob taunted. I closed my eyes, silently praying for him not to do anything stupid. Edward was silent for a moment, thinking of a response.

"Why would I be jealous of a dog?" he asked, his tone poisonous. "Now get out." The last three words were pronounced separately and articulately, like he was punching each of them in Jake's face. Jake flinched at each one. He turned to me. "I'm not leaving Bella here for you to _feast_ on," he sneered. I looked at him pleadingly. "Please, Jacob… go home," I said, my voice wavering out of fear. Jake stared at me in shock. "Don't you-"

"Tell my parents I love them." With one last glance, he jumped out the window.

I stood on the spot for a minute, listening to Edward's heavy breathing. "Damn him," he whispered, "Damn him." I closed my eyes, exhausted, and the world went black.

--

"Bella?" I rolled over, exhaling. I felt two strong hands grasp my shoulders. "Bella!" I groaned, sinking into the arms. My eyelashes fluttered, and I saw two golden orbs. I blinked and found myself staring straight into Edward's eyes.

"What… what happened?" I asked tiredly. Edward looked out the window, at the sunlight streaming through the window. "It's already morning?" I asked, trying to yell but too weak to raise my voice. Edward nodded.

"You blacked out," he told me. "Are you sure you're alright?" His velvety voice was coated with worry. "Edward," I asked, attempting to prop myself up with my elbows. I collapsed back into Edward's arms. His eyes were scared, and he picked me up and lay me on the bed, sitting next to me. I didn't think to struggle.

"Edward," I repeated, "why is it so bad for me to leave?"

"I already told you," he replied, surprised. I shook my head.

"Maybe that's a part of the reason, but only a little bit of it. Why?" Edward shook his head.

"That's another story for another time," he informed me. I looked down.

"Oh," I finally mustered. "I… I see." We sat there silently for a few moments before Edward decided to speak again. "It began before you were born."

I looked up at him expectantly, but his face was expressionless, and he spoke in a dull monotone. "Your mother was pregnant with you at the time. Barely, but she was. Your father was ecstatic. He was so determined to keep her happy that, one night, he stole a few freesias from my garden.

"I didn't even think about it at the time. It was irrelevant, and he wasn't a bad person. Besides, you mother loved the smell. Soon, it became a habit. Your mother loved freesias. She had vases of them all around her house, petals in her tea, and she had a strong scent of freesias. That was when I realized what was happening.

"By now, she was expecting you any day. One night, I decided to come to your home. You were to be born that night. Your mother was extremely worried, as was your father. They couldn't afford a midwife. I don't know why I did what I did, but… I ran to Carlisle as fast as I could." Carlisle. He was the vampire who'd saved Edward, I remembered. "We returned to your parents in a few minutes, and you were born. Your mother loved you dearly, and your father was thrilled, even though you were a girl. That's when I realized that you were in terrible danger."

I interrupted. "What do you mean, terrible danger?" Edward looked down from the wall he was staring at, and I knew why immediately. "The freesias," I whispered. He nodded.

"You have no way of knowing this, but to a vampire the scent of freesias is probably the most appealing without some sort of curse. And your blood, Bella, was practically coated in freesias. You wonder why your skin is pale? You wonder why your skin has always been so much more delicate than anyone else's? Here's your answer."

I sat there, in silence. Well, my mother had been correct when she called me her little flower. I was terrified. I had no way to defend myself from absolutely anyone, and I was the world's most dangerous creature's favourite meal. I shuddered. Edward, being Edward, hugged me tightly. I sank into his embrace, waiting for the rest of the story.

"I couldn't tell this to your mother, of course. Imagine how she would have reacted if she knew that her baby daughter was a danger magnet? So I stepped forward and asked to speak with her privately. I told her that I would have to take you when you were 17. I told myself that you could be safe in your town, because of the werewolves. As much as I hate them,"he added loathingly, "I doubt that they would have let a creature such as myself invade the town."

"Your mother believed that I wanted you as a repayment for getting Carlisle. She was hysterical. I couldn't let her believe that, so I got Carlisle. He convinced my mother that an evil witch of some sort wanted to kill me and that the only way to prevent that was to marry you off to me. He said that we were some form of immortal half-gods. Eventually, she accepted it. And we left the house… until I returned on your birthday."

**Author's Note: Now, I know that this doesn't happen in Twilight or Rapunzel, but it's very similar to Rapunzel. And… yeah. I tried to do a longer chapter this time, so I added about 1000 more words. I had a bit of a writer's block, so I'm sorry! When will I update? Hmm… let's try for a total of 20 reviews. That's only 7 for this chapter! I'll work on the next chapter pronto. Enjoy!**


	5. Unveiled

**A/N: I'm SO sorry it's been almost a year. I will try to finish this story, but I'm not as excited by it as I once was. That's my excuse. Anyway, I'll try to make this chapter worth reading.**

Edward and I sat in silence, with only my deep, long breaths making steady sounds. The sun was up, streaming light through the window, and a light breeze too. My long, long hair was too heavy to be affected by the breeze, but Edward's wasn't, and his perfect hair was dancing in the breeze. He growled in frustration, and I laughed happily. The moment was perfect; but it was too good to last.

Edward stood up abruptly. The room felt as though the breeze was no longer there, and the loveliness of the morning seemed to fade into nothingness. "I need to go now," he said urgently. I looked at him curiously. His eyes were pitch black. He closed them, and pinched the bridge of his nose, holding his breath.

"Why?" I asked, feeling rejected. His eyes opened and his gaze flitted to me before he stared out the window.

"I need to hunt," he admitted. Oh. He was, after all, a vampire: my face got warm out of embarrassment for my forgetfulness.

"Oh," I said aloud. "Oh, right." This time, he looked at me in amusement.

"Oh, right?" he asked, the corner of his mouth lifted as though fighting back a smile. "Oh, right? That's all you say about my diet?" He allowed himself his trademark crooked smile. "Sometimes I think it's better that you're here than at your home. With an attitude like that, you'd get locked up anyway. Or worse." He laughed, and I did too. He looked at me then, his face serious.

"After I… satisfy my thirst," he said, cautious to avoid the word 'blood', "I can see if there's a reply from your parents." I leapt up and flung my arms around him. He closed his eyes, tense, and I looked at him curiously as he moved my arms.

"Bella," he said warningly. "The freesias." Oh, of course, I remembered. He needed to hunt… to drink blood. My blood smelled appealing. I took a few steps back, giving him space. He smiled one last time, and then he was gone. I sat back down on the couch- a smile crept on to my face as I remembered that it was mine- and thought. What should I do? I realized how hungry I was- after all, I hadn't eaten this morning- but it didn't bother me at all. Instead, I took out a piece of parchment and some writing utensils, and began to draw. I wasn't the most talented artist, of course, but I looked out the window, and drew the tops of the trees, and the river far below, and the golden sunlight, and the singing birds. I hummed along with their chirping contentedly, and the morning slipped away as I drew, and I sang.

. . .

I was drawing the last little bit of the drawing, smiling to myself. The drawing had turned out beautifully. I never thought I could draw anything worth paying attention to, I thought happily, but this was different. It was wonderful.

"I didn't know that you liked to draw," a musical voice said from behind me. I spun around to see Edward, smiling.

"Edward!" I exclaimed, smiling. He smiled back: his eyes were gold, like they should be.

"May I see your drawing?" he asked, his eyes glinting mischievously. I handed it to him, and he scanned it with his eyes.

"Spectacular," he announced. He handed it to me. I looked at him, puzzled. "Surely you're going to sign it? That is what artists do," he said. I blushed, looking at the paper. I'd only ever signed letters before, and was excited and anxious at signing something like this. _Bella Swan_, I wrote in my best cursive. He smiled, satisfied, and produced an envelope from, it seemed, thin air.

"And this is for you," he said. I opened it eagerly.

_Dearest Bella,_

_Your father and I are so sorry for what has befallen you. I ask you, tell your captor that I beg for him to let you come home. If you cannot, than please, at least wed here at home._

_With all my love,_

_Mother_

I felt my eyes get watery as I looked back up at the letter. _If you cannot, than please, at least wed here at home. _I guess my face grew puzzled, because Edward seemed to know what I was feeling.

"Bella?" he asked softly. I handed him the letter, and he looked at it carefully, his face growing stony as he read.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath. I was alarmed: Edward never cursed. Oh. Curse. The lie he told my mother about us marrying. It all came back to me.

"Oh," I said stupidly for the second time that day. He gave me a wry smile.

"Yes, _oh_," he repeated. "What are we going to do?" I kind of like the way he said _we_, as though we were both on the inside of everything that was going on, just he and I.

"Well," I suggested, feeling my heart beat faster, "we could just do it." His eyes widened, as he looked at me incredulously. "Fake it," I said, my face heating up.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You can't fake a wedding. "

Oh, of course. He grew up years ago; if it were a sin now, I can't imagine what it would have been then.

"We could just do it, then," I said. "I mean," I gestured toward my hair, and then pulled it over my shoulder. He laughed.

"And force you to be tied to me for all of your days? Bella, you don't actually want that, do you?" I shrugged, trying not to blush. He sighed.

"Bella," he said, talking slowly, which obviously cost him lots of self-control, "Bella, of course I would want to marry you… But I can't condemn you to that."

"You can't condemn me to that?" I shouted angrily. "You can't _condemn _me to that? So you can shut me up here and keep me away from all civilization and all people, save you, but you can't do it the honorable way by marrying me?" I was shrieking by then, and standing, but upon saying that I sat down, blushing furiously, and his face was frozen.

"Oh," he said slowly. "Oh, no. I'm one thing… but you?" We both knew what he was talking about. I nodded shortly. "Bella…" he put his arms around me, and I cried into his shoulder as he rubbed my back and tried to console me.

**A/N: Wow, I didn't think I would finish that. I guess I ended up getting more into it… it wasn't very long, but it was rather hard to write. I shouldn't be demanding this of you after all this time, but please, review!**


	6. Promised

**A/N: All right, I know how depressing it is, after all this time, to hear that the author's 'lost passion for this fic.' So I'm not going to discontinue this. I'll try really hard to finish it, but the style might change a little bit. I've read a lot of new genres over the last year, and my writing has changed, so be prepared.**

**By the way, I have **_**no**_** idea where this chapter is going to go. I've lost my outline.**

**Disclaimer: I only own the plant Rapunzel, not the story. And if I owned Twilight, I would buy a flying pig. Needless to say, none of my porcine pets have wings.**

Upon waking up in a high tower where you're kept captive by a man who refuses to marry you despite your incessant pleading, most girls would have concerns other than the length of their hair.

Edward was torn between annoyance and laughter when I brought up the subject the next morning.

"It's so lank. And heavy. It used to be curly, you know, but the weight pulls it down. I have split ends. It's such a pain to brush, you know?"

"Bella…"

"And it makes me look so incredibly short. I'm five feet and six inches tall! But no one can tell, because of all this… this… brown stuff!"

The laughter won out. Edward ran his hands through my hair, and I instinctively leaned into his touch.

"Your hair is beautiful, Bella. You don't need to change it."

"But I _want_ to, Edward. It's been the same for _so long_." I bit my lip. I was starting to sound whiny, which definitely wasn't my goal. "Besides, I don't have your patience. I'm only human."

"Bella, we can't cut it." As much as I hated what he was saying, I liked the way he said 'we'. "You know about the protection-"

"There are other ways of creating that protection," I said quickly. Edward's hand clenched.

"Bella, I've already told you, _no._"

"But-" Edward glared, and I tightened my jaw. "Just _listen_ to me, for once." After a painfully long minute, he nodded. "I… I _know_ that you don't want to do that. I'm not trying to be romantic. But look at it this way. All the people back home- and all the people who've seen us together- know that I'm living with a man who is not a relative or my lawfully wedded husband. Not to be shallow, Edward, but can you _see_ what it looks like?"

His eyes widened for a second, and I took advantage of his momentary weakness.

"People are going to make assumptions. What else would a seemingly rich young man want with a young woman? And trust me, you can't fight off rumours by protesting. If they're going to say… _that, _about us, we can't help it, but at least we can make it seem honorable enough that people stop really caring."

Edward nodded silently.

"I'm not asking for a fairy-tale ending, Edward. I'm not even asking for my freedom. But since you obviously plan to keep me here, I'm asking for you to do it the respectable way."

Edward smiled faintly. "I apologize," he said softly. "I didn't realize… how much you were suffering. I suppose… well…" He cupped my cheek with his icy hand, and quickly left the room. Even though Edward was usually silent, I could hear him rummaging through shelves and drawers. He swiftly re-entered the room, and knelt on one knee.

_Oh. _I wasn't expecting this. My face grew warm from embarrassment. After insisting on a marriage, I should have expected this. But I'd thought the marriage would be purely for show.

But I suppose Edward had more honor than that. He opened a small box, which contained a beautiful, oval ring, embedded with thousands of tiny gemstones.

"Isabella," he said, his voice as warm as velvet. I rarely enjoyed the sound of my full name, but today it set shivers up my spine. "Will you marry me?"

A lump, whether from excitement or anxiety, I don't know, formed in my throat. I swallowed it down. I only needed to say one word.

"Yes," I whispered. He slid the ring onto my finger, rose to his feet, and without a moment of hesitation, pressed his lips against my own. Despite the cold, it felt perfect. My perfect moment of forever.

**EPOV:**

While Bella marveled at the ring, I marveled at her eyes.

There was no comparison. The ring, pretty as it may be, was a human thing. Her eyes were made for the faces of angels.

They were darker and purer than any gem this world could offer. They sparkled more beautifully than the most perfectly polished jewel. Stones were crafted by the earth; her eyes were crafted by the heavens.

I stood up, and in all of one moment the sun hit her from the perfect angle, and she looked more dazzling than humanly possible. Her skin was a perfect ivory, framed by curtains of rich, shimmering mahogany locks. And the only color to be seen was on her lips, which could have been petals from the most delicate rose.

Common sense abandoned me. There was nothing else to do. I kissed her. And despite how delicious she smelled, despite the taste of blood behind her lips, for a second, I forgot that she was human.

**JPOV:**

It was pretty obvious, now, that she loved the bloodsucker. He was kissing her, and she was kissing back, and I almost jumped into the room and growled.

Almost.

But the thought of Bella stopped me. She was happy.

I knew that her happiness wasn't _right_. It wasn't natural, for a human and a leech. And I wasn't going to let him get away with it.

But right then and there, she was happy. And even though I knew I'd regret it, I wasn't going to ruin the moment. She could have her fairytale, for now. For now.

**A/N: Well, there you go. I meant to make this chapter longer, I really did, but that seemed like the natural place to stop.** **I brought in Jake again. I actually like him as a character, so if you're wondering, he won't be horribly demonized. Don't worry, though, it's still EdwardxBella. **

**I'm not going to hold the fic ransom for reviews. I can't update as often as you probably want me to. Life gets in the way, and I don't know what's going to come up this summer. But if you can, review. I love reviews. They're my oxygen. If you have any comments on my shift in style, or on the direction of the story, please leave them in the review, PM me, or whatnot. If you ask a question, I'm usually inclined to reply.**

**And yes, the ring is the same as in Eclipse.**


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